Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Why I am a Libertarian

The 4th of July is coming upon us and it is a time to celebrate our country's independence. It is a time of flag waving, fireworks, and cookouts. This year I am sure it will be a time of much political discourse. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know it is election year. This is the year that we elect a new president. And just like mason said to dixon, the line is drawn. On one side we have Barrack Obama. To many people he is a savior, an inspiration, and their hope. To others he is the antichrist. Obama's platform is an inspirational message of change and hope. He brings with him the hope that someone other than rich white men can be president. For many that is enough to vote for him. He also brings about promises of help to the poor. He promises to take on big business and show the might of our government. He is the middle class's best friend. On the other side, we have the war hero John McCain. He's of irish decent so that is a plus. He brings with him a track record of standing up to the establishment. He promises to use the might of the government to stand up to terrorists and ruthless regimes. He hasnt made a lot of conservatives happy but he has been working on moving closer to that side. On both sides we have people making promises. We have people pandering to their own cult of ideals. And it has both sides angry and scared. If Obama is elected republicans will be forced to deal with democrat ideals. If McCain is elected democrats will be forced to live with republican ideals. Accusations fly left and right. If republicans win, religious nuts will inflict their morals on the "more educated". If democrats win, then heathen athiests will push their lack of morals on everyone. Its gay vs straight. Right vs left. All vieing for the power of the federal Government.

Wait a minute, I have an idea. Actually its not my idea but the idea of people like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin. The idea is this, what if the federal government didnt have all the power. What if the president didnt have all the power to enforce one sides opinion over the other. What if people had the power. What if people could live in liberty and make their own decisions. That is what our constitution is all about. It is what the bill of rights are all about. Today we worry so much about who will be president because the federal government has become something it was never meant to be. The United States was meant to be just that. States (sovereign entitites) coming together to unite in the area of defense and foreign diplomacy. That didnt mean that every state had to look the same, have the same ideals, and make the same laws. This meant that West Virginia didnt have to worry about New York making laws that didnt go with the culture in WV. It also meant that New York didnt have to worry about WV making laws that didnt work in New York. But something happened. The federal government stopped following the constitution. And now we are left in a point where each state and every person is worried about losing their culture and values. The president and the federal government are supposed to be limited. The constitution was made to limit the government. It says exactly what powers are given to each branch. It then leaves everything not specifically given to the federal government to the people.

We need to get back to the heart of true conservatism. A place that give freedom to people to make their own decisions. A place that respects the power of the state governments. Patrick Henry said, Give Me Liberty or Give me Death. We need liberty.Today liberty is under attack by both democrats and republicans. The constitution is trampled under by both sides. John F Kennedy once said Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country. Unfortunately both parties have taken to the opposite. Republicans want to take away our rights under the name of national security. Now let me state that I am for national security but only as it falls under the guidelines of the constitution. Republicans want to take away the right to a fair trial and the right to privacy. Many people gladly give up their rights because they want security. But once government is given a power it never gives it up. That means that even though the government may not be abusing this power today, it will have the opportunity to do so in the future. Democrats take away our rights in another way. The take away our right to bare arms for safety reasons. And they take away our right to reap what we sow by taxing us to death. They do this in the name of helping the poor. They want to steal from one person and give to another. They want to take from the Rich and give to the poor. And once again, just because this power is not be abused today doesnt mean it wont in the future.

So what is the answer. The answer is to follow the constitution. The constitution protects our rights. Many people think that bill of rights gives the people certain rights. But actually it doesnt give us rights. The rights are already ours. It just protects those rights from the government. We need to continue to uphold these rights. We also need to stop trying to place our demands on the government. Christians need to quit expecting the government to do our job of teaching good morals, and taking care of the poor and the sick. The Church needs to step up in those departments. Im sick and tired of hearing Christians complain and boycott anytime a non christian does something wrong. People who are not christians will not behave like christians. It is up to us as christians to show the gospel and the light.

Finally, we do have an option. There is a third candidate. Now I know what your thinking. Your thinking if I vote for a third party candidate I am throwing away my vote. There are two answers to this. One, your wasting your vote with the other two candidates. They both do not follow the constitution and will both take away your rights. Second, dont be a person who votes because they want the lesser of two evils, vote for what is right. Please read up on the libertarian party. Please vote for Bob Barr. Do the patriotic thing and vote for liberty.